School district votes to pay legal fees

Published: Wednesday, May 09, 2001

Associated Press

GALVESTON, Texas {AP} Santa Fe Independent School District board members have voted unanimously to begin paying legal fees incurred during its battle to allow public prayers at high school football games.

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the district saying the pre-game prayers were unconstitutional. As part of the ruling, the district is required to pay the legal fees of the American Civil Liberties Union lawyers who fought its policy.

Attorney Anthony Griffin asked for about $500,000 in legal fees. The district contested that amount. A federal judge lowered the amount owed to Griffin and another attorney who worked with him to $250,000.

On Tuesday night, the district voted to begin paying what it owes.

Santa Fe ISD will be responsible for $129,000, with an insurance policy covering the rest.

Board member Robin Clayton said the district thought the case would turn out differently and that many thought the chance of maintaining the right to pray was worth the cost.

"The bottom line is that its not going to break the district," he said. "My rights are worth that."

Two families sued the district in 1995 over its policy allowing Christian prayers to be said over stadium loud speakers before the start of football games.

For more than five years, the case moved through state and federal courts with the Supreme Court ruling 6-3 last June that the pre-game prayer violated the First Amendment.